68th Armor Regiment

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68th Armor Regiment
Coat of arms of the U.S. 1st Battalion of the 68th Armor Regiment with external ornament.svg
Coat of arms
Active1933 – present
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
BranchFlag of the United States Army.svg  United States Army
TypeArmor
SizeRegiment
Garrison/HQ Fort Carson
Nickname(s)"Silver Lions"
Motto(s)Ventre a Terre
(With Great Speed)
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
68 Arm Rgt DUI.jpg

The 68th Armor Regiment is an armored regiment of the United States Army. It was first activated in 1933 in the Regular Army as the 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks).

Contents

Lineage

World War I

The regiment was originally constituted on 9 July 1918 in the Regular Army as the 68th Infantry Regiment, and assigned to the 9th Division. It was organized in July 1918 at Camp Sheridan, Alabama, from personnel of the 46th Infantry Regiment. It did not go overseas before the end of the war, and was relieved from the 9th Division and demobilized 15 February 1919 at Camp Sheridan.

During World War I in France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), the 326th, 327th, and 328th Battalions, Tank Corps and the 1st Tank Center were established between April and June 1918. In September 1918, the 326th and 327th Battalions were redesignated the 344th and 345th Battalions respectively, and they fought in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. [1] The 345th was the predecessor lineage to the 1st, 2nd, and 7th Tank Companies, and Company B of the 344th became the 5th Tank Company. The 328th Battalion, formed in the U.S., became the 3rd, 4th, and 6th Tank Companies.

Interwar period

The 68th Infantry was reconstituted on 1 October 1933 in the Regular Army as the 68th Infantry (Light Tanks) and absorbed the lineage of the Tank Companies. The 68th Infantry (Light Tanks) was allotted to the 6th Corps Area, and activated as a "Regular Army Inactive" (RAI) unit at Peoria, Illinois, manned with Organized Reserve personnel. On 7 April 1937, the headquarters location was changed to Chicago, Illinois. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were activated on 1 January 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia, less Reserve personnel, by redesignation of the 1st through 7th Tank Companies (organized in 1918) of the 1st through 7th Divisions. The inactive elements of the regiment were withdrawn from the Sixth Corps Area and allotted to the Fourth Corps Area. On 30 May 1940, the 2nd Battalion was transferred to Fort Lewis, Washington. On 30 June 1940, the 1st Battalion was inactivated at Fort Benning. On 15 July 1940, the remaining active elements of the regiment were redesignated as the 68th Armored Regiment and assigned to the 2nd Armored Brigade of the 2nd Armored Division. The regiment (less the 2nd Battalion which was already active) was activated 1 August 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia. When the structure of U.S. armored divisions was reorganized marly in 1942, the regiment was inactivated on 8 January 1942 at Fort Benning and relieved from assignment to the 2nd Armored Division. The 68th Armored Regiment was assigned on 15 February 1942 to the new 6th Armored Division and reactivated at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

1st Tank Company

2nd Tank Company

3rd Tank Company

4th Tank Company

5th and 6th Tank Companies

7th Tank Company

Company G, 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks)

Company H, 68th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks)

Armored regiment

Triangulation

  1. Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company and 2d Battalion as the 68th Tank Battalion and remained assigned to the 6th Armored Division
  2. 1st Battalion as the 773d Tank Battalion and relieved from assignment to the 6th Armored Division
  3. 3d Battalion as the 15th Tank Battalion and remained assigned to the 6th Armored Division
  4. Reconnaissance Company as Troop D, 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mechanized, and remained an element of the 6th Armored Division
  5. Maintenance and Service Companies, and Band disbanded.

World War II

Troop D, 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron

15th Tank Battalion

  • Deployed from the New York Port of Embarkation on 11 February 1944.
  • Arrived in England on 24 February 1944.
  • Further deployed to France on 22 July 1944
  • Located at Jena, Germany on 14 August 1945 [3]
  • Returned to the New York Port of Embarkation on 20 February 1946

68th Tank Battalion

  • Deployed from the New York Port of Embarkation on 11 February 1944.
  • Arrived in England on 24 February 1944.
  • Further deployed to France on 22 July 1944
  • Located at Buttstädt, Germany on 14 August 1945 [3]
  • Returned to the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation on 29 December 1945

773rd Tank Battalion

  • Deployed from the San Francisco Port of Embarkation on 8 February 1944.
  • Arrived in Hawaii on 15 February 1944.
  • Further deployed to Saipan on 15 July 1944
  • Further deployed to Tinian on 24 July 1944
  • Returned to Hawaii on 17 August 1944
  • Further deployed to Hojaki Shima on 26 March 1945
  • Further deployed to Tokashiki Shima 27 March 1945
  • Further deployed to Keise Shima 31 March 1945
  • Further deployed to Ie Shima 27 March 1945
  • Inactivated 15 April 1946 in Japan

Reconsolidation

  1. 68th Tank Battalion relieved 19 July 1945 from assignment to the 6th Armored Division
    Inactivated 29 December 1945 at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia
    Redesignated 21 August 1950 as the 68th Medium Tank Battalion and assigned to the 6th Armored Division
    Activated 5 September 1950 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
    Inactivated 16 March 1956 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
    Relieved 1 July 1957 from assignment to the 6th Armored Division.
  2. 773d Tank Battalion reorganized and redesignated 27 October 1943 as the 773d Amphibian Tank Battalion
    Reorganized and redesignated 10 January 1944 as the 773d Amphibian Tractor Battalion
    Inactivated 15 April 1946 in Japan
    Redesignated 24 December 1946 as the 56th Amphibian Tractor Battalion
    Redesignated 18 April 1949 as the 56th Amphibious Tank and Tractor Battalion
    Activated 10 May 1949 at Fort Worden, Washington
    Inactivated 15 December 1954 at Fort Worden, Washington
  3. 15th Tank Battalion relieved 9 July 1945 from assignment to the 6th Armored Division
    Inactivated 22 February 1946 – 25 February 1946 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.
  4. Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 15th Tank Battalion, redesignated 1 August 1946 as 15th Tank Company, and activated at Fort Riley, Kansas
    Inactivated 6 November 1946 at Fort Riley, Kansas
    Activated 1 June 1947 in Italy
    Inactivated 1 December 1949 in Italy
    Redesignated 21 August 1950 as Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company, 15th Medium Tank Battalion (organic elements of the 15th Tank Battalion redesignated as elements of the 15th Medium Tank Battalion), and assigned to the 6th Armored Division
    Battalion activated 5 September 1950 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
    Inactivated 16 March 1956 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
    Relieved 1 July 1957 from assignment to the 6th Armored Division.
  5. Troop D, 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mechanized, inactivated 19 September 1945 at Camp Myles Standish, *Massachusetts
    Redesignated 21 August 1950 as Company D, 86th Reconnaissance Battalion, and remained an element of the 6th Armored Division
    Activated 5 September 1950 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
    Inactivated 16 March 1956 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
    Relieved 1 July 1957 from assignment to the 6th Armored Division.
  6. Maintenance and Service Companies, 68th Armored Regiment, reconstituted 1 July 1957 in the Regular Army

Post Combat Arms Regimental System (1957) Consolidation

3ABCT, Shots fired 170116-A-XH946-896.jpg
1-68th Armor, 4th Infantry Division conducts live-fire certification with their M1A2 Abrams in Poland (2017)
US Army 68th Armor Regiment Flash.svg
A Co (A), 4-68th Armor, 82nd Airborne Division conducts live fire with their LAV-25A2s at Camp Atterbury (2019)

Honors

Campaign participation credit

  1. Saint-Mihiel;
  2. Meuse-Argonne
  1. Normandy;
  2. Northern France;
  3. Rhineland;
  4. Ardennes-Alsace;
  5. Central Europe;
  6. Western Pacific (with arrowhead);
  7. Ryukyu Islands (with arrowhead)
  1. UN Defensive (with arrowhead) (A/1st BN as 56th Amphib Tank and Tractor Bn)
  2. UN Offensive (A/1st BN as 56th Amphib Tank and Tractor Bn)
  3. CCF Intervention (A/1st BN as 56th Amphib Tank and Tractor Bn)
  4. Summer 1953 (1st Bn as 56th Amphib Tank and Tractor Bn)
  1. Liberation of Iraq 19 March 2003 - 1 May 2003
  2. Transition of Iraq 2 May 2003 - 28 June 2004
  3. Iraqi Governance 29 June 2004 - 15 December 2005
  4. National Resolution 16 December 2005 – 9 January 2007
  5. Iraqi Surge 10 January 2007 -31 December 2008
  6. Iraqi Sovereignty 1 January 2009 – 31 August 2010

Decorations

  1. Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) for SAIPAN AND TINIAN (Regiment and all Bns) (DA GO 73, 1948)
  2. Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) for INCHON (Company A, 56th Amphibious Tank and Tractor Bn), 1952 (A/1st Bn) (DA GO 63, 1952)
  3. Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for LANDROFF, FRANCE (Saar Campaign, 14–15 November 1944) (Company A, 68th Tank Battalion), 1946 (A/4th Bn)
  4. Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for HAN-SUR-NIED, FRANCE (Saar Campaign, 8 November - 24 December 1944)(Company B, 68th Tank Bn), 1952 (B/5th Bn)
  5. Valorous Unit Award (Army) for IRAQ 2012-2013 (1st Bn)
  6. Valorous Unit Award (Army) for IRAQ 2007-2009 (1st Bn)
  7. Valorous Unit Award (Army) for IRAQ 2005-2006 (1st Bn)
  8. Valorous Unit Award (Army) for IRAQ 2003-2004 (1st Bn)
  9. Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for IRAQ 2010-2011 (1st Bn)
  10. Superior Unit Award (Army) for Operation ATLANTIC RESOLVE in Poland and the Baltic States 2017 (1st Bn)
  11. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for INCHON to HUNGNAM (Company A, 56th Amphibious Tank and Tractor Bn), 1952 (A/1st Bn)(DA GO 8, 1952)
  12. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for KOREA (56th Amphibious Tank and Tractor Bn), 1952 (1st, 2nd, 3rd Bn) (DA GO 23, 1954)
  13. French Croix de Guerre with Silver Gilt Star for Han-sur-Nied, France (Company B, 68th Tank Bn cited).

History of the Silver Lions

The 'Silver Lions" of 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, were the only armor battalion located on Fort Carson, with 48 M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, 32 Armored Personnel Carriers, Over 50 Tactical Wheeled vehicles, 5 Tracked Maintenance/Recovery vehicles and over 600 personnel. 1–68 Armor had 4 Companies (HHC, A, B, and C), with 14 M1A1 Main Battle Tanks in each Line Company (A, B, and C). To Support the 3 line Companies there was Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), the largest of the four Companies with over 300 personnel. Located in HHC were platoons of Cavalry Reconnaissance, Mortar, Maintenance, Headquarters, Signal, Supply, Intelligence, Cooks, Chemical, Administration and Medics for the Battalion.

Before the Force XXI Concept, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor had 5 companies (HHC, A, B, C and D). On 13 April 2000, A Company was deactivated, turning all 14 tanks to the Mississippi National Guard. D Company was deactivated on 14 April 2000 and re-flagged as A Company, leaving the battalion with the standard four companies, rather than five.

Current organization of 1–68

Upon return from deployment to OIF 1, the 4th Infantry Division immediately began reorganization into the "modular brigade" structure of the new U.S. Army. 4th Infantry Division was again deployed to OIF in late 2005, replacing 3rd ID in Baghdad. The 3rd Brigade was attached to the 101st and the 1–68 was sent to Baqubah, Iraq.

After being reorganized under the modular concept, the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment became known as the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment. HHC, known as Hatchet, with scouts, snipers, mortars, medics and staff positions. Alpha, known as Attack, and Bravo, known as Blackhawk, were designated as infantry companies with M2A3 Bradley fighting vehicles. Charlie company known as Cold Steel, and Delta, known as Destroyer, were set up as tank companies with 14 M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks each. Echo Company, known as Exile company, as an engineering company. Fox company, known as Forerunner, was attached from 64th Brigade Support Battalion to provide mess support, maintenance/recovery, and a supply distribution platoon. The final company is Golf Company, which is the rear-detachment company for the battalion when it is deployed.

The battalion's last Iraq deployment was to Basra, as a part of OIF 10–11.

Notable Members

See also

Sources

Related Research Articles

References

  1. ORDER OF BATTLE OF THE UNITED STATES LAND FORCES IN THE WORLD WAR (PDF). Vol. 1. CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY - UNITED STATES ARMY. 1988. LCCN   87600306. CMH Pub 23-1. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Part of the World War One Light Tank Brigade established in the American Expeditionary Force Commanded by COL. George S. Patton, Junior.
  3. 1 2 3 VJ Day
  4. USA Airborne - 50th Anniversary, p. 452, 463, 469
  5. Army's Newest Airborne Unit Gets Second-Hand But Air Droppable USMC LAV-25 Armored Vehicles, The Drive, dated 29 October 2018, retrieved 30 October 2018
  6. A/4-68 AR Deactivation; FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 AT 11 AM EDT – 11:30 AM EDT; Ft. Bragg, N.C., Company A, 4th Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division official Facebook page, dated 8 September 2020, retrieved 27 November 2020